NPR CEO Gary Knell is leaving the public radio network after two years. Photo: NPR

WOSU listeners – I’m passing on the unfortunate news of the resignation of Gary Knell as President and CEO of NPR.Â Gary has been a dynamic leader for NPR, but is leaving after two years with the network.Â He will be missed.Â Here is a portion of his letter to NPR stations today.

Dear Friends,

Before I even started at NPR, I had huge respect for this organization. And from the first minute of my first day on the job, my respect has only grown. Seven days a week, around the clock, Member Stations are serving the critical needs of their audiences in ways that few others can. Thatâ€™s because of what each of you make happen. The power of this institution rests in its collective brilliance, courage, and dedication â€“ and in the commitment we all share to make public radio better each day.

Knowing this makes it a little easier to share a difficult decision Iâ€™ve made. I will be leaving NPR after my term ends in late fall to join the National Geographic Society as its President and CEO. I was approached by the organization recently and offered an opportunity that, after discussions with my family, I could not turn down.

Working together, we have put this organization on more solid footing to continue to deliver the highest-quality journalism and programming. We have launched innovative new platforms and made meaningful strides in attracting new audiences and new funding. We have promoted a series of collaborations with Member Stations in news gathering, development, and a digital future. And we have exceptionally strong leadership teams in place at NPR and at stations across the country who are charting an ambitious path for the future.

In the upheaval of todayâ€™s media environment, you offer something few others can â€“ great, diverse programming and a beacon of journalistic integrity, commitment, and courage. We do what we do so that we can serve our audiences, give them what they need to be informed and connected with their communities, their country, and the world we live in.

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to work with you.

Best,

Gary

]]>http://wosu.org/2012/offair/nprs-president-resigns/feed/0Knell brings experience and creativity to NPRhttp://wosu.org/2012/offair/knell-brings-experience-and-creativity-to-npr/
http://wosu.org/2012/offair/knell-brings-experience-and-creativity-to-npr/#commentsMon, 03 Oct 2011 13:03:00 +0000Tom Rielandhttp://wosu.org/2012/tomrieland/?p=2537Welcome to NPR – Gary Knell…a successful and creative force in the world of public media!

Gary E. Knell, the longtime President and CEO of Sesame Workshop, will become President and CEO of NPR, Board of Directors Chairman Dave Edwards announced on Sunday.Â Knell was the unanimous choice of the NPR Board.Â â€œIâ€™m thrilled to join NPR,â€ Knell said. â€œOver the past 40 years, itâ€™s grown from an inspired idea to one of the worldâ€™s most respected and leading providers of news, music and cultural programming â€“ both on the air and across ever-expanding digital platforms. This is media with a deeply held mission, compelling history and boundless future. Simply put: itâ€™s journalism at its best.Â What an opportunity to work with the incredibly talented staff here, and to partner with stations, as we continue to innovate, expand civil dialogue and set the standard for media.â€

Knell, whose career in public broadcasting spans nearly three decades, will join NPR on December 1. He became CEO of Sesame Workshop â€“ a collaborative, multimedia organization that maximizes the educational power of media to help children and families reach their highest potential â€“ in 2000. He first joined Sesame in 1989, and became COO in 1998, and CEO in 2000. During his tenure, the organization has expanded its revenue base, audience and global recognition. Knell also has been instrumental in focusing the organization on Sesame Streetâ€™s worldwide mission, including the creation of groundbreaking co-productions in South Africa, India, Northern Ireland and Egypt.

Knell was also managing director of Manager Media International, a print and multimedia publishing company based in Bangkok, Hong Kong, and Singapore. He served as senior vice president and general counsel at WNET/Channel 13 in New York, was counsel to the U.S. Senate Judiciary and Governmental Affairs Committees and worked in the California State Legislature and Governor’s Office.

Knell is presently a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and the U.S. National Commission for UNESCO, serves as a director of the executive search firm Heidrick & Struggles, is on the board of governors of the National Geographic Education Foundation, and is a board member of AARP Services, Inc., the Jacob Burns Film Center and Save the Children.

He is a longtime public radio listener and supporter, and a member of three NPR stations: WNYC New York, KPLU Seattle, and WFUV New York, where he also serves on the advisory board.

Knell joins NPR at a time of tremendous growth and potential for the organization, and for all of public radio. NPRâ€™s ambitious expansion of its foreign and investigative coverage resulted in tireless reporting on the Arab Spring, and dozens of enterprising investigations into mine safety, national security, assault on college campuses, and health care for the military. As investments in local media continue to shrink or disappear altogether, NPR is leading multiple station collaborations to build the reporting capacity of public radio across all platforms at both the national and local level.